Tony's Christmas Gift
by Kaychan87
Summary: Christmas time and Tony Stark never went together very well. Things change when Tony Stark meets a little boy who gives Tony a new perspective on the holiday season.


_**Tony's Christmas Gift**_

 **Author's Note:** I don't own Marvel; Inspired by the song "The Christmas Shoes".

* * *

Christmas had never been a favourite holiday of Tiny Stark's. As a kid his mom had tried to make Christmas a happy time but no matter how hard Maria Stark tried, his old man always found a way to ruin it. Most Christmases in recent years, Tony had drank himself into oblivious with some woman whose name he wouldn't remember afterwards. Until he and Pepper became official and he'd gone from drunken billionaire man-slut to genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. He had a reason to give Christmas another shot. Pepper loved Christmas and Tony didn't want to ruin it for her like his dad father had ruined it for him.

That was why Tony found himself waiting in line at a department on Christmas Eve. Pepper was flying back to New York from the west coast later that evening and Tony had decided last minute he hadn't bought her enough presents. He'd rushed to out to get to the store before it closed, headed for the jewellery department straight away, and made his way to the checkout line after picking out a bracelet. He was fourth or fifth in line but it seemed to be slow moving. With a sigh, Tony looked around the men and women in front of him to see what the holdup was. He hadn't expected to find a child at the front of the line literally emptying the contents out of his Ironman piggy bank on the counter top. "What's going on?" Tony asked the man in front of him.

"No idea but he needs to hurry up," grumbled the man impatiently.

Tony just frowned and stepped out of line to get a closer look; his curiosity had gotten the better of him once again. "I've been saving all year to get this for her, you know?" the child said as the cashier helped count out the money from the boy's piggy bank. "She doesn't know, either. I want her to be surprised when she gets home tomorrow."

The cashier smiled kindly at the boy while she counted all the coins, ignoring the complaints from the growing line – Tony could see how hard she was working at keeping a smile on her face for the boy. "She'll be so happy when she sees it. You picked nice one for her, too," she said.

"My mom works three jobs. She always puts me and my sister first. This year, I want her to have something special under the tree," continued the boy.

His words hit Tony like a brick wall. The older man had one been in that boy's shoes – only Tony hadn't once thought to do something special for his mom. Tony had only thought about himself and his experiences at Christmas time. His mother had been gone for years and in that moment Tony Stark was filled a deep sense of regret. He found himself wishing desperately for one more Christmas with his mother, one more chance to do something special for her like he was doing for Pepper.

"C'mon kid, buy it or don't! Just hurry the hell up!" the man Tony had originally been behind called out angrily.

The boy's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Is it… is it enough?" he asked the cashier quietly.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie," the cashier replied just as softly. She looked just as crestfallen as the boy.

"If you can't buy it, get out of the way!" the irate man growled.

"No need to be an asshole because you waited until the last minute to get your shopping done," Tony spoke up quickly. Once upon a time, Tony Stark wouldn't have bothered with the entire situation. The old Tony would have already been three sheets to the wind. The cashier, the kid, everyone in line was staring at Tony – the new Tony – as he approached the cash, setting down the bracelet he had picked for Pepper next to the one the boy had picked out. "I'll pay for both of them," he told the cashier as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Aren't you… Ironman?" the boy asked in awe as he looked up at Tony.

"Sure am, kid," Tony replied with a grin. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony noticed the irate man was looking anywhere but at Tony and the boy. "Hey kid, you need anything else for your family?" Tony asked.

The boy shook his head. "No sir," he replied. "Just a gift for Mom. But thanks."

The boy had impressed Tony further with that simple statement. Most people would have taken advantage of an offer from Tony. "You're a good kid, huh?" Tony mused as he handed the kid one of the bracelet boxes.

"Thank you! Merry Christmas, Ironman!" the boy called joyfully as he dashed off.

The cashier smiled brightly at Tony. "That was very kind of you. You're a good man, Mr. Stark. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!"

"Yeah, thanks," Tony said as he grabbed Pepper's gift and left quickly. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was embarrassed by the cashier's compliment. Even after saving the world and getting out of the weapons industry, Tony still didn't feel like he'd atoned for the things he had done in his past. Taking a genuine compliment was still something that was hard for Tony Stark to do. 

* * *

"Welcome home, Ms. Potts," FRIDAY greeted Pepper as the strawberry blonde entered the elevator.

"Thank you, FRIDAY. Is Tony still awake?" the Stark Industries CEO asked the AI as the elevator began its ascent.

"He's waiting for you on your personal floor," the AI replied as she brought Pepper to her floor. The elevator doors slid open, revealing Tony fiddling with a few ornaments on a giant Christmas tree. "You got me a tree?" Pepper asked as she stepped out of the elevator.

Tony nodded as he turned around to see his girlfriend. "I know it's not as good as what you do," he told her as she approached him. Tony pulled her into his arms and kissed her until they were breathless. "Merry Christmas," Tony whispered to her.

The woman smiled and kissed Tony once more. "I see someone got bit by the holiday bug this year," she teased. The fact that Tony always tried to make the holiday season special for her even when it brought up bad memories for him meant a lot to Pepper. It was one proof of many that Tony was evolving as a person.

"Maybe it has," mused Tony as he handed Pepper a box with a bow stuck to it. "For you," he added, removing the stick on bow and pressing it to the top of her head. Pepper opened the box and smiled at the simple silver bracelet inside. She had half expected some over the top, jewel encrusted bauble. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's so simple and elegant."

"About that," Tony started as he gently picked up the bracelet. "Some very lucky single mom has the one I originally picked out for you." Tony focused his attention on putting the bracelet on Pepper's wrist, missing her raised eyebrow completely.

"What'd you do Tony?" asked the strawberry haired woman. She kept her gaze on Tony as he told her about his trip to the department store and the little boy with the Ironman piggy bank. "Oh Tony," she said softly, smiling proudly at her beau, the reformed narcissistic playboy she loved.

"You get all the credit, Pepper. A hundred perfect. I guess I'm ten percent less of a jackass today," chuckled Tony. Unlike when the cashier had complimented him, Tony had no problems taking a compliment from Pepper – she had seen him at his highest and lowest.

"Maybe only five percent less," teased Pepper.

Tony's hand flew to his chest in the most over the top way he could manage. "You wound me, Ms. Potts." Pepper laughed before throwing her arms around Tony. "Looks like I'm getting the better end of the deal," Tony said as he held Pepper close.

"That so?" she asked.

"Having my beautiful, successful, intelligent girlfriend home for Christmas is the best present I can think of," Tony told her, earning a kiss. He proceeded to pat the bow on the top of her head. "And I did one hell of a job with the gift wrap!"


End file.
